Page 52 of Bite
The entire scene pulses with heat, with anticipation, with a kind of low-grade electricity that vibrates the air. It’s not just sexual, it’s performative– every gaze, every touch, every tremble meant to be seen and savored.
I freeze in the entryway, hand still pressed to the door, brain refusing to catch up to the reality splayed out in front of me. I’mstill standing there gaping like the world’s biggest idiot when a deep, familiar voice cuts through the haze.
“Don’t just stand there, darling. You’re letting cold air in.”
James is seated just to my left, relaxed back on a velvet sofa with one ankle crossed over his knee and a tumbler of something amber in his hand. He looks right at home in his crisp black dress shirt and slacks, the sleeves rolled to his elbows and the top few buttons casually undone. His pale hair is mussed just enough to be devastatingly sexy, his face set in that practiced expression of impenetrable calm.
When I don’t move or respond, he simply raises a brow– and that’s when I realize every eye in the room has swiveled in my direction.
I quickly nudge the door closed behind me and stagger forward, trying to appear casual and not at all bothered that I’ve basically just stumbled onto a live porno set.
“Hey,” I manage as I approach James, voice about two octaves higher than normal. “I, um… wasn’t expecting this.”
He nods to the empty spot on the sofa beside him and I quickly take a seat, James leaning in to speak low in my ear.
“What were you expecting, some kind of boring dinner party?” he asks, the corner of his mouth quirking.
“Well, yeah,” I admit, face flaming. “Some advance warning would’ve been nice.”
He chuckles low in his throat. “But then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of seeing you blush like this,” he murmurs, the backs of his knuckles grazing my cheek. “Adorable.”
I swat his hand away with a scowl. “Enough mind games,” I grumble, finding my backbone. “Whatisthis, James?”
“Evening entertainment,” he replies with a shrug that’s far too nonchalant for this atmosphere. “Just relax, have a drink, and watch. Or play, if you’re feeling brave.”
I blink at him, not sure if he’s joking. Then a naked woman walks by with a tray of champagne glasses balanced perfectly on her hand, and I realize that he’s definitely not. Everything in here is a feast for the eyes; an indulgent buffet featuring every flavor of debauchery.
I swallow hard, trying to focus on anything but the glistening skin and soft moans filling the room. “Is this… a vampire thing?” I ask quietly.
James tips his head, considering. “It’s not exclusive to my kind, no. But we’re sexual by nature. Most of us find it easier to socialize when there’s something else to do with our mouths.”
“Like feeding,” I murmur, because apparently I’m incapable of shutting up when I’m this nervous.
The ghost of a smile crosses his lips. “Or other things.”
My pulse skips, the color draining from my face as I turn to gaze out over the room. For a few minutes, I just sit there rigidly, hands clamped together in my lap, eyes pointedly fixed on a painting above the bar. But the longer I sit, the more I notice– the way the people move, the ebb and flow of attention. The way some pairs lock together for a few minutes then separate just as quickly, switching partners or wandering over to the bar for a drink. There’s an easy rhythm to it, something almost hypnotic, and slowly, my nerves start to melt away.
Another naked server drifts by with a tray of shot glasses, each of them filled with bright green liquid. James signals her over and she hands me one, her gaze flickering over my body in a way that’s not unfriendly, just curious. I toss back the shot, the sweet burn of the alcohol going straight to my head.
“Whatwasthat?” I ask as I pass the glass back to the server with a grimace.
“Absinthe,” James provides, his hand landing on my knee. “It’s a high-proof spirit, so be mindful of how many you take.”
For some reason I register that as a dare, leaning forward to snatch one more off the tray and tossing it back just as quickly as the first. I grimace twice as hard after I swallow, though. The server winks at me as she takes my empty glass, then continues on her path around the room.
I settle back into the couch cushions, James’ thumb rubbing small, lazy circles on my knee. It’s not an overtly sexual gesture; more of a subtle reassurance amid all this sensory overload. The music and chatter settle into the background as I watch the party continue to unfold around us, trying not to look nearly as out of place as I feel.
Most of the people here are absurdly beautiful, but there’s a mix of types. Some look like high-end models, others like college athletes, mixed in with a few ordinary people who just lucked out at the genetic lottery. I quickly discern that the room holds a mix of vampires and donors. The donors are all wearing the silver bands like me, and upon closer inspection, I recognize at least three faces from the gala where I met James.
Bex’s friend Audrey is here. I do a double take when I spot her on her knees in nothing but a hot pink thong, her blonde head bobbing over the lap of a male vamp.
James picks up on where I’m staring, humming under his breath. “Does she interest you?”
“We met at the gala,” I whisper sharply. “She’s… a friend of a friend.”
“And a favorite of Maximus,” he provides, indicating the vampire with his cock down Audrey’s throat. “He says she’s expensive, but worth every penny. If you’re interested in playing with her, I can–”
“No,” I cut in, shaking my head. Not that I’m against being intimate with a woman, per se– the thought of it has always intrigued me– but other than a drunken kiss or two, I’ve never tested the waters. And I’m not about to do it tonight, in front ofall these people, with a girl who may or may not be trying to steal my best friend.
